Last year's winner was Tasmanian-born author Richard Flanagan, for his sixth novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North, published by Chatto & Windus. It was described by the 2014 judges as ‘a harrowing account of the cost of war to all who are caught up in it'.

This year's winner will be announced on Tue 13 Oct in London's Guildhall. The black tie ceremony will be broadcast by the BBC, so don't worry: you don't have to don your best ball gown or dickie bow to catch up on the action. You can sit at home in your jammies, adding everything from the shortlist to your Amazon wishlist and hinting heavily at loved ones.